Archive for the ‘Atlanta Hawks’ Category

Do you think David Stern has trouble sleeping at night? I mean beyond the normal sleep apnea that most adults in their late sixties feel? Because I think he does.

I would put Euros on it, in fact.

For all the media massaging that David Stern does, no amount of time in his positive spin machine can make the NBA smell like roses lately.

Tim Donaghy? There’s one scandal that just won’t go away, to the point where former high school classmates of his are now going to jail. League legitimacy remains in question and the referees, ever under scrutiny and used as scapegoats for Stern and the league’s front office, are surely gaining nothing from the negative media attention.

I read so many sports blogs and surf through enough other random sites that I have decided it is finally time for me to start my own version of “links.” Seemingly every blogger has their own take on this, with their own witty name to boot, so who am I to break tradition?

The Atlanta Hawks ended a playoff drought dating back to 1999 last week, earning them the right to be crushed by Boston Celtics in the first round.

Everywhere, Boston fans rejoiced. They then took a nap.

Game 1 provided little drama as the C’s easily took care of business against the “Oh, I forgot we actually have to play the games now” Hawks.

So, in light of little to post about the actual game, here is video of a much more interesting Celtics event. If you missed it, this is the ESPN SportsCenter Sunday Conversation with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and KG. And the second is Kevin Garnett’s post-game press conference after the Game 1 victory last night. The thing to keep in mind during both of these that Kevin Garnett is insane, and I love him for it.

Bonus points for anyone who finds me that picture of KG in his undersized jean jacket.

Seeing as how I missed the 2nd half of the Celtics win tonight (to see the late showing of The Bucket List—excellent by the way), I won’t comment about it until I see the Comcast replay showing tomorrow. Instead, allow me to weigh in on do-overs.

The league issued a ruling today stating that the outcome of the December 19 OT game between the Hawks and Heat (a 117-111 Atlanta victory) will not stand due to an incorrectly charged 6th foul to Shaquille O’Neal with 51.9 seconds remaining in the game and the Hawks up 112-111. Instead, the game’s final 51.9 seconds will be replayed (with the score 114-111 because Al Horford made both resulting free throws on Shaq’s “foul out”) and the new outcome honored. [For full stories click here (ESPN), here (NBA.com), or here (USA Today)]

What’s most interesting to me about this situation is not the ruling to replay the effected portion of the game—although that too raises some issues—but the NBA’s rationale for the replay:

Being back in Maine provides one major advantage over being in San Diego: local coverage of every Celtics game. So this is the first of many Celtics game notes. Tonight they’re at home against the Atlanta Hawks, a team that is doing exactly what they’re supposed to be doing. They are who I thought they were! No, really though, as just about every sports writer in the country already noted, with all those years of lottery picks, the Hawks should be good. Tonight we’ll see how just how good as they go up against the NBA’s top defense.

• James Posey won’t be playing tonight due to back problems. Bad news for the Celtics due to a thin, relatively unproven bench at the wing positions—where the Hawks are just stacked. And obviously Posey is a great defender. Tony Allen and Eddie House could take some abuse tonight (is it no longer okay to compare abusees to Jason Kidd’s wife? I think it’s probably been too long—the currency has passed. Plus, I like Kidd now, unlike when the Nets and Celtics had a heated rivalry)
• Paul Pierce opens with a jumper, fading to his left. He misses only once a game fading to his left. Count yourself it’s true.
• Now that Josh Smith learned to dribble, he’s damn near horrifying to face.
• Now that Josh Smith has a jumper, he’s damn near horrifying to face.
• Eww, Smith overshot the rim completely on that jumper. I rescind my prior statement.
• KG hits a top-of-the-key jumper. After 13 seasons you would think people would realize that Garnett shoots from that range consistently.
• Smith blocks Rondo’s shot back to half court… with his elbow. Why do the Hawks always seem to get the athletic freaks? They have a Dominique clause and it’s a little unfair.
• Smith travels (uncalled) and passes to Marvin Williams (who also questionably travels, without a call). Yeah, the refs are really cracking down on traveling this year.
• Paul Pierce gets to the rim for a lefty finger-roll off of his go-to move: losing and then recovering the dribble as his defender lunges for what looks to be a loose ball. I still, after all these years, cannot determine if Pierce does this purposely or not.
• After 6 minutes, KG has 6 points and 6 rebounds. Evil. (more…)